Hedge-trimmer



3 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

(No Mode.)

J. L. JA0KS0N. HBDGE TRIMMER.

Patented Jan. 17, 1893.

19929@ @Mam (No Model.) 4 3 Sheets-#Sheet 2. J. L. JACKSON. HEDGFE.'`TRIMMER;

N0.490,074. A PatentedJan. 17,1893.

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(No Model.) v3Sheaeirss--Sheet 3.

- J. L. JACKSON.

HBDGE TRIMMEB.. No. 490,074. Patented Jan. 17, 1893.

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PATENT JOSEPH L. JACKSON, OF COLUMBUS, KANSAS.

HEDGE-T RlNllVlER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 490,074, dated January17, 1893.

Application filed April 15, 1892. Serial No. 429,329. (No model.)

To cl/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOSEPH L. JACKSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Columbus, in the county of Cherokee and State of Kansas,have invented a new and useful Hedge-Trimmer, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to hedge-trimmers; the objects in view being toprovide a machine that may he driven along the sides of hedges, and willuniformly and accurately trim the tops or sides of the same.

A further object is to provide means for adjusting the cuttingmechanism, and to so arrange theparts as to render said cutting mechanism reversible, whereby it may eut or operate at one side of a hedgeregardless of the direction of travel of the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:-Figure 1 is a plan view of a machineconstructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevationthereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation. Fig. 4 is a detail in perspectiveof the vertically-reciprocating rack bar for supporting the cuttingmechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of the reversible cuttingmechanism. Fig. G isa transverse section through the axle. Fig. 7 is atransverse horizontal section through the standard 31 and thecutter-mechanism supporting rack-bars. Fig. 8 is a transverse sectionthrough the bar 23, the supports for the same heilig shown in elevation.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

In practicing my invention, I employarectangular frame, comprisingopposite end-bars 1 and 2, and opposite side-bars 3 and 4t, the ends ofwhich are connected by the end-bars. This frame has its sidebars 3andeprovided with bearings, which support a transverse bearing-sleeve 5,in which a transverse axle G is mounted for movement. The axle atopposite sides of l the frame, carries groundwheels 7 and between theside-hars 3 and 4 passes through the sidewalls of agear-box S,

the front end of which is extended to form the bearing-arm 9,which isaxiallybored and is secured to the front cross-bar 1 of the frame. Therear end of the box formsa platform 10, for the accommodation of aseatfor the driver.

Within the box there is mounted on the axle 6 a large bevel-gear 11, andthe same transmits motion through a small pinion 12, mounted on a shaft13 located in the bearingarm 9 and terminating in front of the crossbar1, where it carries a sprocket wheel 14. A cover 16 is hinged over thegearbox, normally closing the same, and rendering it accessible.

Various means may be provided for throwing the gears 11 and 12 into andout of engagement with each other, and for such purpose I have in thepresent instance illustrated a lever 17, which may be manipulated by thedriver when perched upon the seat. Arms 1i) project from correspondingends of the bars l and 2, and terminate at their outer extremities inseotorshaped stirrups 20, arranged in front and in rear and extendingbeyond the side of the ground-wheel 7 at that side of the machine. Thesestirrups are provided with pairs of opposite perforations 21, andremovable rest-pins 22 occupy the same. Supported adj ustably by therest-pins is a longitudinal bar 23, preferablysquare in cross-section,and provided adjacent to the stirrups with pins 24, taking at oppositesides of the stirrups and preventing the bar from having longitudinalmovement therein. At one side of the center of the bar it is provided inits upper face with a longitudinally-disposed bearing 25, and a shortshaft 26 is longitudinallydisposed and mounted therein. At its outer endthe shaft carries a sprocket-wheel 27 which is engaged by asprocket-chain 2S, passing over the sprocket-wheel 14, by which meansmotion is conveyed from the axle to the shaft 13, and from thence to theshaft 26. The inner end of the latter shaft occurs over a recess 29,formed in the bar 23, and upon said end within the recess asproclet-wheel 30 is located. The bar 23 passes through or has otherwisesecured to it a vertical standard 31, the upper end of which isbifurcated IOO to form guide-forks 32. At the base of the forks andseated within the bifurcation, a transverse guide-cleat 33 is located,and the same is provided adjacent its opposite ends with rectangularguide-eyes 34. Perforated guide-brackets 35 are located upon the sidesof the standard, vertically below the perforations 34 of the cleat, andin the perforations of the brackets and cleat there is located forvertical movement an outer rack-bar 36, and an inner rack-bar 37, theteeth of "which are upon the inner sides. The upper end of the rack-bar36 is shaped to form a yoke 38,While the upper end of the rack-bar 37 isperforated, for the reception of a pin 39.

In a pair of transverse bearing-cleats, secured at the front and rearedges of the standard 31, near the middle thereof, and indicated as 40,an inner and outer shaft 4l is journaled. The inner shaft terminates atone.

end in a crank-handle, 42, and both' shafts carry small gear-wheels43,between their bearings, each of said wheels vgearing with a rackbar36 or 37, in accordance with its position relative thereto. Thecorresponding ends of the two shafts have iutermeshing gears 44, so thatwhen the inner shaft is rotated by the crank 42, motion is also impartedto the outer shaft, and they serve through the medium of their smallgear-wheels, to raise and lower the rack-bars 36 and 37 as will beobvious.

45 designates a rectangular head, provided with openings 46, whichreceive the upper ends of the bifurcations 32 of the standard 3l. Theinner end or side of this head 45 is provided with an opening, intowhich the in-v ner end of the pin 39 takes. The outer side of the headis provided with a circular projection 47, and around this takes theyoke 3S formed on the upper end of the rack-bar 6. A pair of arms 48,having bearing openings, transversely opposite each other, proj ect fromthe circular projection 47, at the outer side of the head 45, and inthese bearing-openings a shaft 49 is journaled. This shaft passesthrough the inner end of a finger-bar 50, and also through the inner endof an L-shaped bearing-arm 5l, whereby the two become pivoted upon thehead 45. The outer end of the arm 5l is bifurcated, as at 52, to embracethe linger-bar 50. The outer ends of the shaft 49 carry smallsprocket-Wheels 53, one of which through the medium of a chain 54, isconnected with and operated by the sprocketwheel 30 of the shaft 26.rlhe shaft 49 between its bearings, is provided with a pair ofoppositely disposed eccentric disks 55, which are rigid therewith, andeach has mounted thereon an eccentric ring 56, from each of whichextends an arm 57, terminating in a socket. Mounted for movement uponthe finger-bar is a pair of cutter-bars 5S, which pass through the arm5l and each terminates in a stud 59, which engages with the socket of anarm 57, so that the eccentric disks being oppositely disposed, it willbe seen that the cutter-bars will be simultaneously reciprocated inopposite directions.

60 designates a wing, which is secured to the rear side of thefinger-bar, in any suitable manner, in this instance by pairs ofclamping-lingers 6l.

Upon the side-bar 3 there is fulcrunied a pair of levers 62, terminatingat their upper ends in handles, to which are pivoted bellcranks 63.Locking-standards 64 are located at the sides of the levers upon the bar3, and reciprocating-bolts at the sides of the levers are thrown intoand out of engagement with the standards by the bell-crank. The levers62 are bell-crank levers, their lower branches 66 being connected byVmeans of links 67 to pivoted levers 68, fulcrumed in bearings 69,depending from the under sides of the bars l and 2. The outer ends ofthe `levers 68 project under and are therefore adapted when manipulatedthrough the levers 62, to raise or permit the bars 23 to fall within thestirrups, as will be obvious.

Keepers 70 are mounted upon each of the bars l and 2, and bearing-sleeve5; and the outer keepers, that is, of the bars l and 2, are providedwith perforations into which pins 72 are passed. A draft-pole 73 has itsbuttend introduced through either of the keepers 70, and terminates ineither instance in the central keeper, and may be locked in position bythe before-mentioned pin 72, that passes through the outer keepers 70.In this manner it will be seen that the machine may be drawn, either endfirst.

This completes the construction, and the operation is as follows:lf itis desired to trim the top of the hedge pins 73 are passed throughperforations 74, formed in the inner end of the finger-bar, and arm 5l,and through similar perforations formed in the bearingarms 4Simmediately1 in rear of the shaft 49. In this manner the cuttingmechanism is maintained in a horizontal position, and it may be raisedor lowered, as a whole, through the medium of the bell-crank levers 62,and may be supported in any of its adjusted positions through the mediumof the pins passing through the stirrups in which the bar 23 is mounted.The foregoing description sufficiently mentions the manner oftransmitting motion from the axle to the cutting mechanism, so that neednot now be traced, but will be at once understood. The machine havingbeen adjusted to cut the proper height, the same is drawn along and thetops of the hedge trimmed. lVhen the end of the hedge has been reached,in order to cut on the return trip, it is simply necessary to disconnectthe sprocket-chain from that one of the small sprocket wheels 53, beforein engagement therewith, and by rotating the crank 42 the rack-bars arefed upwardly in the manner heretofore described, so that the head 45carlOO lIO

rying the cutting mechanism, is elevated above the ends of thebifurcations 32, and when sufciently far above the same, the tworack-bars serving as bearings, the cutting mechanism is by handreversed, or turned bottom-side up, the belt re-connected, and the crankreversed to return the parts to their former position. The draft-pole isdisconnected from the keepers, and inserted in that keeper which willnow be the front of the machine on the return trip, and which wasformerly the rear of the machine. The wing 60, resting upon the top ofthe hedge, serves to aid in the support of the outer end of the cuttingmechanism, and also prevents said mechanism from dropping intodepressions, openings, or any irregularities that may happen in thehedge.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:-

l. In ahedge trimmer, the combination With a frame, an axle, its Wheels,a horizontal elevated cutter bar, a support for the same, and means fortransmitting motion from the axle to the bar, of a fiat wing extendingrearward from the bar, substantially as specified.

2. In ahedge trimmer, the combination with the supporting frame-Work,axle and ground wheels, of a standard, head 45, carried by saidstandard, and provided with parallel arms 48, a shaft 49 mounted inbearings in said arms, the linger-bar fulcrumed upon the shaft, anL-shaped bearing arm 51 fulcrumed upon the shaft and bifurcated at itsouter end to embrace the linger bar, the cutter bars, eccentrics uponshaft 49, pitmen connecting the eccentrics to the cutter bars, and meansfor conveying motion from the axle to the shaft 49, substantially asspecified.

3. In a hedge trimmer, the combination with the framework, the axle andground wheels of the standard having a bifurcated upper end, a headperforated to receive the arms of such bifurcation, the finger barrevolubly mounted upon Said head, the cutter bars, the parallel rackbars attached at their upper ends to the head, the connected pinionscarried by the standard and engaging said rack bars, and means to conveymotion from the axle to the cutter bars, substantially as specified.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with the frameand the axle carrying traction Wheels of the sector-shaped stirrupshaving perforations, pins passing through the perforations, bell-cranklevers fulcrnmed on the frame, means for locking the same,simpleleversfulcrumed on the under side of the frame and having theirfree ends extending to the sides of the sector-shaped stirrups, andlinks connecting the outer ends of the bell-cranks with said simplelevers, of a longitudinallydisposed bar located above the simple leversin the stirrups, a standard rising from the bar, cutting mechanism atthe upper end of the standard, and means for 5. In a machine of theclass described, the v combination with the supporting-frame, thestandard rising' therefrom, a head mounted on the standard and adaptedfor vertical, reciprocation and for removal therefrom, and keeperslocated at opposite sides of the standard, of a cutting mechanismcarried by the head, rack-bars mounted in the keepers and pivotallyconnected to the head, means for raising the rack-bars and projectingthe head above the standard whereby it and the cutting mechanism may beinverted, and means for operating the cutting mechanism, substantiallyas speciiied.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with theframework, the standard rising therefrom and havingits upperendbifurcated and provided at opposite sides with guides and at its frontand rear edges with bearings, of shafts mounted in the bearings at theinner and outer sides of the standards, said shafts being provided withintermeshing gears and small pinions, a head having openings mounted forreciprocation on the bifurcations, said head being provided at its frontside with a circular projection and beyond the same withforwardly-disposed bearingarms having perforation-s, rack-bars mountedin the guides of the standard and engaged by the pinions of theshort-shafts, a crank mounted on one of the short shafts, a yoke at theupper end of the outerrack-bar for engaging the circular projection, apin for pivotally connecting the upper end of the remaining rack-barwith the head,.cutting mechanism pivoted to the forwardly projectingarms of the head, and means for operating the same, substantially asspecified.

7. In ahedge trimming machine, the combin nation With the frameework,axle and groundwheels, of a standard having a bifurcated upper end, ahead perforated to slide upon the standard, parallel arms extendingtherefrom and hearing a shaft, the finger bar mounted upon said shaft,the cutter bars, the guide cleat 33 mounted in the bifurcation of thestandard and having guide eyes 34, guidebrackets 35 having guide eyesvertically aligned with those in the cleats, vertical rackbars connectedat their upper ends to the head, and arranged in said guide eyes, shafts41 mounted upon the standard and geared together, pinons carried bysaidshafts to mesh with the rack bars, and means to convey m0- tion from theaxle to the cutter bars,substan tially as specified.

8. In ahedge trimmer,the combination with the framework, the axle andground Wheels, of the arms 19, provided at their terminals with sectorshaped stil-rups, the rest pins 22 fitting in opposite perforations inthe stirrups, the bar 23 arranged in the stirrups and resting upon saidpins, levers 63 fulcrnmed beneath the framework and extending under thebar IOO IIO

IZO

23, bell-crank levers 63 connected to said le- In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as Vers, handles connected to the bellcrank lemy own Ihave hereto afxed my signature in rIo ve'rs, a standard Carried by theba1'23, ahead the presence of two witnesses.

attached to 'said standard, means to elevate 5 and lower'the head, alinger-bar fulorumed JOSEPH L. JACKSON.

upon the head, cutter bars, and menus for Witnesses: conveying motionfrom the axle to the cutterL ASA LEA,

bars, substantially as speeied. LOUIS H. WINTER'.

